The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-01-13
Drinking Cider.

hoard II so that c;,er ;s tho curso of Naxv Emo.
,, VIII. ..-s.,, :.
strongly as that, we believe it to be one of the
| evils which mar the beauty of our land and
| orlhs sorro" 10 our honies'
Perhaps no kind of liquor has been, or Is at
| nrcsent. moro universally uscl Than c;lor Es.
..,,.. a.. c.-
| Pe'"''s - '''s 'i"o !" o"i wv" s'o'' o'''e'
| Men and women, boys and girls, have been,
| and still are. addicted TO its use MANY who
| ..... .-;
o'''''i " "e'o'e l" temperance anu 'o'' "'>''-
nence, and who are undoubtedly honest at
| heart. drink cider and think they are doing no
| harm to themselves or to others. FOrgetful of
i the fact that all our actions exert an influence
| either for right or wrong. we are apt to do that
| which, even though it harm not us, may, by
| reason of its influence, be the means of doing
| an untold amount of injury to those with whom
we associate.
| Kind reader, it may be possible for you to
use the juice of the apple as a beverage without
| any immediate injury to yourself; yet, some
one else by following your example may end
| his career by filling the grave of a drunkard.
MeAseldom begin with strong drink, but their
appetite gradually leads them on from weak to
| strong. from strong to stronger, until at last
| they reach the end of the road of life and-dre
gone.
| Could we know of the vast multitude of
| drunkardS in our land to-day; could we ask
| them, MY friend, what was the first step
toward drunkenness, what the starting point
| in your awful race?' and could we gain from
them an honest reply, thousands upon thouS-
| ands would answer. 1.-The first step was gtdsS
| Uf cider, the starting point was beneath my
fathers roof in my childhOod home."
| 1t is fact that the use of cider leads to the
| Use of something stronger. 1t is also a fact
| and my heart aches with sorrow when ponder
| it-that parents are often responsible for their
children being drunkards. Parents. you have
cider in your cellar. you have sons and you al
| low them free access to the bghting contents
of that barrel; (Which of itself is harmless, but
| the use to which it is put renders il deadIy;)
| look then in Il few short years to see them
| treading the pathway of life. not as prosperous
| and happy men contented with their lot but as
| poor, wretched. miserable and degraded beings,
rendered so by the love of strong drink. And
| that love begotten by tdtherS rider Dear
| friends, to whom does the responsibility belong,
who is to receive the greater condemnation. the
child or the parent:
| Parents. beware. Place not temptation in
| the way of your children. Teach them that
| cider instead of being harmless is one of the
| very worst of intoXicantS in itself, and may be
| the means of making them habitual drunkards.
| Precept is good, example is better. While
teaching to those under your care that cider is
| harmful and must be let alone, look well to
| your life anu be sure that your example is CO.
worker with your words.
Dear reader. teach Il life of abstinence to
those with whom you come in contact. Abstain
from all that can intoNicate or lead to intoNica-
| ton. Above all things. remember that your
| office and mine is not simply to point out the
| road OF temperance, but to walk that path with
no uncertain step. We are not to be as the
guide-board which stands at the corner and
points the way to the traveller, but cannot walk
| therein; we are to show the way to those who
know It not and keep them company on the
road. We who find no temptation in the al
| iuremcnt> of Bacchus, are to lend helping
| hand to those who may be tempted to turn